Ironman Canada 2008 Video

My brother-in-law, Patrick, never ceases to amaze me. His humor is impecibly timed and his thoughtfulness even more so. He put together a video of IMC weekend and I can't thank him enough. It is totally sweet...Check it.

3 Hours Until Game Time. Go Huskies!

Where in the hell did the summer go? Husky game day is upon us, and the mighty Huskies travel South to Eugene for another installment of our most bitter rivalry. This season kind of snuck up on me and although I have been reading the blogs and charting Jake Locker's progress, I can't help but think this year went by quickly. I probably would have written a more in depth and unresearched analysis of this addition of Husky Football, but I have been a little preoccupied. So, instead I will go over a few things on my mind.

1. By every account this year is Ty's make or break year. Win and he keeps his job, loose and we are again looking for another coach. So let me go on the record now. I am officially in favor of Ty as Husky Coach and Moral Steward for this year and next. I know this is an unpopular sentiment. In the must win now climate of sports, it is unpopular when you don't. However, there are many factors why he should stay, and should be around next year as well. First, recruiting is already being hurt by the limbo this program finds itself in, again. Second, we don't even have an AD to hire a new coach. Third, when we do get a new AD, he/she must focus all his/her capable energy on getting the renovation done on Husky Stadium. This will be no small task and I don't want the person in position worrying about hiring a coach when they should be camping out on the steps of the capital in Olympia until they get the appropriate funding to make the stadium first class and safe. Keep Ty around, let him recruit another class, build some stability, get a new stadium, and then see what happens. He may end up winning some games. Let's not put the cart before the proverbial horse.

2. Hire an f'n AD already. Seattle is one of the most desirable places to live in the country if not the world. All the magazines and my friend Joe swear on it. (Although I have chosen pdx as a residence I spent some great years in the Emerald City.) The University of Washington is one the premier public universities in the country, with class and tradition paralleling any other. The alumni want to win, and win now, the pressure on Ty and the firing (or whatever you want to call it) of Todd Turner, proves it. This could be one of the great jobs in the country, and was once. Let's make is so again. Hire someone who can build us a stadium by bending the legislature to their will.

3. Jake Locker. Can you overcome all the obstacles, all the pressure, to be superhuman? To save this once proud program? To bring winning ways back to Montlake? Can you win so many games so as to save your coach's job? So many games to get the state and our alumni to build us a new stadium? Can you stay healthy while getting the crap kicked out of you every game? Will you wear that target on your back with pride and run like it means your life? Tonight you get Oregon, our most hated rival, your journey begins in Eugene. Godspeed young Jake for much depends on you.

What the Watch Says

I was flipping through my watch data from the race and I thought it might be interesting to post the data. Raw numbers speak to people.

Total Time: 10:34:26
In Zone (Set as 120-160): 9:24:04
Avg. HR: 148
Peak HR: 187
Min. HR: 80
Total Calories Burned: 8523

I hit the lap button 5 times.

1. 1:05:58 HR: 155 (Pretty accurate swim.)
2. 0:03:59 HR: 151 (T1)
3. 5:38:08 HR: 145 (Bike)
4. 0:00:35 HR: 143 (T2, I didn't hit the button until I was leaving transition.)
5. 3:45:44 HR: 151

Race Report: Ironman Canada

Ironman Canada

Date: 8.24.08
Swim distance: 2.4 Miles
Bike distance: 112 Miles
Run distance: 26.2 Miles

As usual for race morning wake up time was early, revelry at 4am. I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before, probably four hours, but I felt rested from my taper and not overly nervous. I started my standard 700 Cal of Endurox for breakfast. (Again, I must ask the powers to be that if possible I would like fruit punch to come back as an Endurox flavor. I never liked orange that much to start with and am now certainly sick of it.) My family was quickly roused from slumber and the excitement was palpable. It seemed they were more nervous than myself, everyone had their concerns, none were the same. I just wanted to survive.

I arrived at transition around 450a. I didn't really warm up. I tried as best I could to prepare for the day. I rechecked my transition bags, I made sure my helmet was appropriately adjusted, etc. I felt surprisingly calm. The night before I had the usual apprehension associated with the swim start, like getting trampled in the water or punched in the kidney, but by the time I showed up at the race site my stomach was without excessive butterflies.

I had heard the horror stories about Ironman swim starts, so I did my best to find space where I would have clean path to the buoy line. I started on the left, but not all the way to the left. I found some space where I knew I would be able to get some open water before things got cramped. I really felt like I built into this swim. I started out pretty conservatively, but picked up the pace at every buoy. It was pretty difficult finding anyone that wanted to swim at my pace. The trouble is that to draft they really have to be slightly faster than you so that the draft will carry you. Basically, I would spend sometime drafting and then when I felt the energy build back into my arms I would surge past to find another set of feet to cling on to. I felt good the whole time. All the problems I anticipated, but I have the feeling that this was a fairly calm swim start. I didn’t get mauled or punched….so I have that going for me.

Swim Time/place/AG place: 1:05:59/379/62

T1 went smoothly. I was pretty calm. Since the swim went well, I wasn’t overly concerned about getting on the bike. I probably could have been slightly faster, but I felt prepared. I spent considerable time in the morning figuring out exactly where my bags were and where I needed to go next. I put on my shoes in the tent, but then had to run like a half mile to get to my bike. In retrospect I probably should have waited to put them on when I got to the rack. This probably would have been faster.

T1: 3:16

It was pretty exciting leaving town on the bike, hearing people shout your name. I can see how you could get carried away, but the task at hand forced me to keep things under control. There were 112 miles ahead.

There were times where it felt like I was expending too much energy, especially on the flats. I felt good on the hills. Scott had given me a pretty good description of Richter Pass and am glad he did. It really allowed me to pace the climb much better than I would have otherwise. In fact, the hills were probably the best times of the ride. I was certainly prepared for them. The hardest time, without a doubt was the time between Richter Pass and Yellow Lake. The rollers were not easy and since we had a head wind going down to Osoyoos I felt like we should have had a tail wind the other way. Not the case and it totally screwed with my head.

I stuck to my fueling strategy well. The only caveat being that it took a little longer to get to special needs than I expected. This meant I needed to supplement my calorie intake with gels. Although I don’t know if it ultimately hurt me I would have preferred to have my bottles. When I got back to town I still had about ¾ of a bottle left. (I later spilt this all over myself when I went back to pick up my bike.) The bike was tough, and probably harder than I expected it to be. The downhill back to 97 and into town was much needed as my legs were becoming unwilling to pedal.

Bike Time/place/AG place: 5:37:25/322/52

I was pretty damn glad to get off the bike. My legs were tired and felt at this time the run would be a much needed change. I didn't know someone had ordered up some wind. I wish they wouldn't have done that.

T2: 2:01

It was pretty hard to keep things under control at the start of the run. The 8:00/mile cap was nice, but there weren’t any mile markers going out until mile three and by that time I had already been running 7:30 pace. Pacing was fine after my initial three miles until we got into the head wind about mile 7 or 8. This is where things really started to unravel for me. The headwind was strong and I should have slackened my pace and save my remaining energy for the way home, but I felt like if the wind would keep up it would just blow me home. Of course, the wind softened and the help I had counted on was non existent. By mile 20 there was some pretty good pain in my legs, but I knew I was going to finish in pretty good time and the adrenaline certainly carried me to the finish.

There were points when things started to get a little fuzzy, especially on the bike, but a quick sip and I was right back on track. Between mile 8 on the run and mile 15 I started to have some doubts about my ability to gut it out. The head wind sucked and really took a lot out of me. About mile 15 I felt some strength come back into my legs and this is when I knew I was going to cross the line. I was pretty tough the whole way on the run, and I had to walk a couple aid stations, but they were short walks.

Run Time/place/AG place: 3:45:42/182/29

For my first Ironman I can say I am pretty happy with the outcome. I remember my first Half Iron, I remember it being so tremendously hard, but have learned to understand that distance and what my body is capable of doing. (Although I still think my best races at that distance are ahead of me as well.) Right now my legs are sore, my mind is still a little exhausted, but I know I can improve on this performance. Most importantly however, I am proud to have this race under my belt and am looking forward to IMCDA in June.

Finish Time/place/AG place: 10:34:23/182/29

I want to thank a lot of people:

My family for their support and encouragement even when they don't understand what I am doing or why I would do it. On race day their voices carried me to the finish.

Scott McMillan for his guidance. I couldn't have done it without him. (If you write it down, it will happen. Right Scott!)

All of my Ironheads teammates. Aleck and Jason for those long rides. Everyone on the course on race day. This team is awesome and I am proud to be a part.

Dan for being a friend and confidant par excellence. You made the drive to Penticton with me last year and were here with me in spirit this year.

Finally, Thank you Dacia, you are my inspiration. I couldn't do it without you. I love you.

Under 24 Hours

I was just sitting around, watching the US Women's Basketball game and it struck me...tomorrow at this time I will be done with the Swim and on my way to Osoyoos on the bike. Nerves quickly settled in, but I am doing my best to keep everything in front of me, control what I can control. Tomorrow I will finish with a smile and the sense of satisfaction that only comes from crossing that line.

One Week Out

Right now it is Sunday evening.

One week from today is Ironman Canada.

Today I had a nice open water swim at Hagg Lake and a good run at Hillsboro Stadium during the Hulaman Triathlon. (Congrats Aleck on another win!) Today was interesting. As race day gets closer very few thoughts, other than those pertaining to the race, are able to creep into my head. Today was not an exception.

In the water this morning I felt smooth and strong, my time suggested that I was, and as I swam my normal course in the lake I spent the whole time envisioning that same swim in Penticton on race morning. The same while running, as the day gets closer every workout, long or short, will be an exercise in race prep. This is not just the taper every endurance athlete goes through as they approach their priority races, but also the honing of an athlete's mental endurance as well. For me, and especially for this race, this means eliminating the distractions, which can be many, and calming the nerves, which can be tumultuous.

Not Enough Time and Too Much Dehydration

This weekend went by too quickly. It is hard to say were it went. Too much went on and there was certainly not enough down time. C'est la vie!

I received my new frame. Scott Plasma Pro. I can't thank Athlete's Lounge enough for the work the did getting me on a new frame so quickly. They are the best shop around. Period.
My first real ride will be tomorrow. Should be interesting to say the least. After I got it, I spun for 45 mins. or so. The fit was ok, but may take some getting used to. I don't really want to f around too much. IM Canada is 20 days from today.

I spent most of the day hanging out at the shop waiting for my bike to be rebuilt. Thus, I didn't get in a complete five hours of riding that day as scheduled. Scott told me not to worry, but I can't help thinking that it may come back to haunt me.

This weekend was also the Mid-Summer Triathlon at Blue Lake. I didn't race but many friends and teammates did. My legs weren't really up for racing, and in the long run I am glad I didn't, but it is hard to watch your friends in the race closest to your house! A special congrats goes out to Ironheads Aleck and Grant for winning the Sprint and Olympic respectively.

After, I took a nap. Watching triathlon is hard work. I had a 2.5 hour run scheduled so after rousing I strapped on my shoes and headed from my house to the University of Portland. When I left it was cool and overcast. Half way though it was the opposite -- Sunny and Hot. I was totally dehydrated by the time I got home. I just wasn't as prepared as I usually am. Here is the route I took.


That is about it. It was a good weekend.

Deschutes Dash 2008 Video Four